CONFIDENTIAL
cc Mr Wilford
Mr Laird
Mr Hale
FCO
Miss Elliott CRE
•
Mr K Price CRE Miss Lowne CT1 Mr McEnery
CT2
CP Haddon-Cave Esq
Financial Secretary
Hong Kong Government Office
Fire Brigade Building
HONG KONG
21 January 1972
Ex 198
This letter records the position reached between us in discussions between 10 and 14 January 1972 about the implications for Hong Kong's trade in cotton yarn and woven cotton textiles with the UK of the UK Government's decision to retain the existing system of quantitative restrictions on imports of such textiles in 1972.
2 We explored an arrangement whereby the amendments and modifications set out below to the Heads of Agreement on Hong Kong's exports of cotton textiles to the UK 1966-1970 (as already modified and extended) would, subject to further consideration on our side as regards possible implications for the UK's restraint arrangements for cotton textile imports from other restricted countries and subject to discussions with the UK textile industry and the European Commission, be submitted for approval to UK Ministers:
a.
b.
C.
d.
Group Viscellaneous cotton manufactures) would disappear as a separate group and its total yardage of 2,509,919, being the 1972 restraint limit, would be added to that of group IV (Made-up goods).
In 1972 up to 5% of the Group limit of the new Group IV might be transferred from the group limit for Group III into the new Group IV.
Category 9 could be increased in 1972 to 1 million square yards, the Group limit of Group III being unchanged.
The new Group IV would be sub-divided into new categories with category limits as set out in the Annex to this letter.
CONFIDENTIAL
/e.